Thread: Duck Boats
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Old 07-20-2018, 10:15 PM   #27
BandB
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City: Fort Lauderdale. Florida, USA
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This is most similar to a sinking in Hot Springs in 1999 in which 13 our of 20 passengers died. The NTSB issued recommendations at that time including removing the canopies which kept passengers from escaping and adding backup bouyancy so they could stay awake if they got flooded as they sink very rapidly. I read about one that sunk quickly at a dock. The NTSB chairman in 1999 believes they should be banned. However, NTSB only regulates their road usage. The USCG does require a certificate of inspection and authorizes a certain route but has little involvement beyond that. Over the years more of their issues have been on land than in the water it seems.

One of the two survivors from the family that lost 9 said that the captain told them not to worry about putting on life jackets as they wouldn't need them.

The boat crew was aware of the approaching storm. In fact, they were told to do the water portion of the tour first to try to complete it before the storm.

It was interesting to read what operators in Portland, in Florida, in Chattanooga had to say after. They all talked about the precautions they take to make sure nothing like this happens including not going out if in bad conditions, such as winds over 20 knots or lightning seen in the distance or thunder heard. In some ways they threw the Missouri operators under the bus, whether intentional or inadvertently.

Captains are required to be USCG licensed and have CDL licenses. One change one operation had made in recent years after road accidents was to add a second crew member to do the tour announcing so the captain didn't have to. I don't know the staffing of this tour company.
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